The seminar aims at discussing texts describing the origins of scripts and alphabets and their function in various cultures from Antiquity to the Middle ages. Discussion will include narratives about the origins of writing and the image of the scribe, the creation of scripts, the allegorical meanings of letters/graphemes and their relationship with numbers, hidden and mystical meaning of specific names and related interpretations. The history of the idea of “The Divine Book” and “Heavenly writings” will also be touched upon. close